What is the deal with the changes in the chairs and candles in the sanctuary?
You may notice things are a bit different this week! The presider’s chair has moved to the side of the sanctuary opposite the ambo. The servers’ chairs are gone, and now the servers sit in the front pews on the sides. The altar candles have moved to spots right next to the altar. Also, some of the actions of the altar servers have changed, especially the Gospel and exit processions. So what’s the deal?
We just decided to change things a bit, that’s all. Nothing was wrong, nor was there an edict from Rome. What began simply as an in-house revision of altar server actions to be a little more reverent and precise, expanded to our liturgical furniture–chairs and candles. There were numerous little reasons for the changes, but the overarching goal is to emphasize the sacredness of what goes on at Mass and draw attention to the Eucharist and to the Word and try to remove a little bit of the human distractions in the sanctuary. Whether we achieve this is probably a matter of opinion, but I hope we can take this change as a reminder of the sacredness and constant need for attentive reverence at Mass which can easily slip in routine if we are not careful.
-Fr. Greg
If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com
